Elevator systems
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorsJan Ruhnke, Felix Benjamin Donath
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An elevator system includes an elevator car moveable between a plurality of landings and a brake configured to stop the elevator car from moving within the elevator shaft. The system includes a safety controller and at least one safety device. The safety controller monitors for a change in status of the at least one safety device. Upon detection of a change to a new status, the safety controller evaluates whether the new status is a first status corresponding to an emergency situation or a second status corresponding to a non-critical change. The safety controller is further configured to apply the brake immediately to stop the elevator car when the new status is a first status or allow the elevator car to move to a landing when the new status is a second status.
Claims15
An elevator system (101, 201) comprising:
- an elevator car (103, 203) arranged within an elevator shaft (117) and moveable between a plurality of landings (125);
- a brake (208) configured to stop the elevator car (103, 203) from moving within the elevator shaft (117) when the brake (208) is applied;
- a safety controller (232;
- 236);
- and
- at least one safety device (234;
- 238) operatively coupled to the safety controller (232;
- 236);
- wherein the safety controller (232;
- 236) is configured to:
- monitor for a change in status of the at least one safety device (234;
- 238);
- upon detection of a change in status of the at least one safety device (234;
- 238) to a new status, evaluate whether the new status is a first status corresponding to an emergency situation or a second status corresponding to a non-critical situation;
- and
- apply the brake (208) immediately to stop the elevator car (103, 203) within the elevator shaft (117) when the new status is determined to be the first status;
- or
- allow the elevator car (103, 203) to move to one of the plurality of landings (125) when the new status is determined to be the second status.
A method of controlling the movement of an elevator car (103;
- 203), wherein the elevator car (103;
- 203) is movable in an elevator shaft (117) between a plurality of landings (125), the method comprising:
- monitoring for a change in status (350) of at least one safety device (234;
- 238);
- evaluating a change in status (352) of the safety device (234;
- 238) to determine if a new status corresponds to a first status corresponding to an emergency situation or a second status corresponding to a non-critical situation;
- when the new status corresponds to a first status applying a brake (208) immediately to stop the elevator car (103, 203) within the elevator shaft (117);
- and
- when the new status corresponds to the second status to allow the elevator car (103, 203) to move to one of the plurality of landings (125).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.